Cyprus and Italy have agreed to formalise their cooperation and upgrade bilateral relations to a strategic level, following talks between President Nikos Christodoulides and Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Friday.
The visit to the Palazzo del Quirinale was the first official trip by a Cypriot president to Italy in 14 years, and comes two years after Mattarella’s own visit to Cyprus — the first ever by an Italian head of state to the island.
Christodoulides said strengthening bilateral relations was “a great priority” for his government, adding that he and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had agreed the previous day to work towards institutionalising their cooperation with the aim of elevating it to a strategic level.
He said he was visiting Rome at a significant moment, with Cyprus having assumed the Presidency of the EU Council on 1 January, and that the trip was intended “for coordination with the Italian government in our common effort for a more autonomous Union, more open to the world.”
Christodoulides was received with full military honours, including a mounted guard, while both national anthems were played before the two presidents sat down for expanded talks with their respective delegations. Mattarella’s daughter Laura attended alongside the Italian president, while Christodoulides was accompanied by his wife Philippa.
Mattarella expressed satisfaction at the previous day’s decision between Christodoulides and Meloni to begin discussions on drawing up a joint partnership document, aimed at further upgrading Cyprus-Italy cooperation across a range of shared priorities.
The two leaders also agreed to jointly inaugurate an archaeological exhibition on the shared cultural heritage of Cyprus and Italy later on Thursday. Christodoulides noted that “the two countries share a common cultural identity and long-standing ties.”
Mattarella hosted an official lunch in Christodoulides’ honour following the expanded talks.
On the sidelines, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani discussed the two countries’ close cooperation within the EU on shared challenges, with particular reference to Gaza.
Both Cyprus and Italy attended the recent Peace Council session on Gaza in Washington as observers, according to information available to Phileleftheros.
